Great Barrier Local Board has granted funding to St John to provide the first ever mental health first aid course on the island.
The mental health first aid course teaches participants to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health issues in work colleagues, friends and family.
St John Great Barrier Island Area Committee Secretary Carol Comer said the grant of almost $5000 was very important to the organisation.
“Participants will get a basic understanding of the relationship between mental health and mental disorders and will gain the confidence to provide initial help and guide a person towards professional help,” she said.
The funding was granted under the Local and Capital Grants Round for 2018/2019.
The local board granted $4260 in funding to the costs of running two of the courses if follow up support was identified and provided following the workshop.
Comer said Great Barrier was no different to anywhere else in New Zealand where one in six adults suffered from mental illness.
The mental first aid course was tailored to everybody and no prior training or experience would be needed.
Comer said the course was ideal for those on Great Barrier who were in positions where they were caring for others.
“For example, the staff and carers at Aotea Family Support Group, the community workers at Great Barrier Island Community Health Trust and teachers on the island,” she said.
With the funding that the local board has provided St John, the organisation plans to deliver the course in mid-October.
This was the first time that the mental health first aid course would be delivered on Great Barrier but the courses had been running across the country for about a year.
